The importance of voting

On Monday 16 March Youth Media Agency hosted the launch of the #XXVOTE campaign at 01Zero-One Studio, Soho. Over 60 media supporters came together to discuss why young women aren’t voting and watch the premiere screening of the film that will underpin the nationwide project.

The film was made entirely by young women and was shot and edited in 6 days thanks to Hannah Vincent, Sabina McKenzie and the cast Megan Jones, Faith Alabi, Prudence Prescott, Elaine Fellows, Rebecca Jones, Elle Vickert and Tonya Greenidge.

In the 2010 general election, only 39% of women aged 18-25 voted in comparison to 50% of young men.

After a consultation inspired by Stella Creasy MP we found that young women are turned off by politics because of a lack of political literacy in our education system, no real policies that represent them and a political system that involves mainly older white men shouting at each other.

HANNAH VINCENT – Director – “This film’s stylish and powerful. We want it to shock young women into taking control”

ANNE-MARIE IKEGWURU- AMI MEDIA – ”I am 19 and before today I wasn’t going to vote because I was oblivious! I’ve been inspired by the film and am now going to register!”

GEORGIA GOULD – Author #Wasted – “#XXVOTE is important because young women have something important to say and should be heard”

SABINA MCKENZIE – Filmmaker – “young women have the right to vote but take it for granted. We need to remember what the suffragettes faught for”

RUBY MAE MOORE – Editor Amor Mag – “#XXVOTE is important because it will encourage a marginalised and excluded group of our society to matter”

The night was filled with a female studded cast of speakers and entertainment including a powerful spoken word piece by Annie Rockson and beautiful singing from Yazmin Vaughnin. Georgia Gould, Councillor for Kentish Town and author of Wasted said a few words about politics needing to reach out to young people.

The evening finished with public pledges of how people and organisations would support and help spread the message of the #XXVOTE and why it was so important for them.